Norway is expecting a huge drop in the number of cruise ships visiting the country’s stunning UNESCO World Heritage fjords after announcing a ban on boats which pollute the waters.
The Norwegian Maritime Authority’s new regulations will come into force at the end of this month.
The regulations will force boats to use cleaner marine diesel or use heavy fuel oil with special ‘close loop scrubber systems’ when sailing in the UNESCO World Heritage Geirangerfjord and Naeroyfjord fjords as well as Aurlandsfjord, Sunnylvsfjord and Tafjord.
Bjorn E. Pedersen, the Head of Department of Legislation and International Relations from the Norwegian Maritime Authority, told Central European News (CEN): “Because of the new regulations, in the next four years we’re expecting a major drop in the number of cruise ships in the UNESCO fjords in Norway.
“More than 40 percent of the cruise ships currently visiting the World Heritage fjords were built before the year 2000 which means they’re old and many are not environmentally-friendly. The new legislation will apply for every cruise ship, no matter when it was built.”
He adds: “Companies can choose what to do – they can modify their engines and install cleaning systems or purchase new ships which will be more eco-friendly as we want the most environment-friendly ones”.
Pedersen emphasised that “we will implement very strict and regular state controls in the fjords, starting from this summer. Our inspectors will make on-board controls on every cruise ship entering the World Heritage fjords. The consequences for the ships that don’t obey the new regulations will be costly.”
If a particular cruise ship is not allowed to enter a fjord, it can dock in the nearest port from where tourists will be transferred to the fjord by buses or go to a different fjord where the new regulations are not yet in force.
At the moment the Norwegian Maritime Authority has started to look into developing similar environmental regulations for all Norwegian waters.
The Norwegian Tourist Board were unavailable for comment when contacted by Central European News.
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Story By: Bartosz Staszewski, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
